ATLAS Network

ATLAS was initially informally established for information exchange and training activities co-operation between units. It was later formalised by a decision of the Council of the European Union in 2008, which also expanded ATLAS's functions to include the provision of assistance upon request to another Member State.^[1][2][4]

In 2018, an ATLAS Support Office was established within Europol's European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) in The Hague, Netherlands, thereby strengthening the role of the ATLAS Network within European law enforcement organisations.^[5]

ATLAS uses the terms 'special intervention unit' and 'crisis situation' defined as follows:

• 'Special intervention unit' refers to any law enforcement unit of a Member State that is specialised in controlling a crisis situation.^[1]
• 'Crisis situation' refers to any situation in which the competent authorities of a Member State have reasonable grounds to believe that there is a criminal offence presenting a serious direct physical threat to persons, property, infrastructure, or institutions in that Member State, particularly in situations combating terrorism.^[1]

ATLAS recognises that a Member State may not have the means, resources, or expertise to handle all crisis situations, particularly large crises. It provides a framework for a Member State to request assistance from another Member State.^[1]

ATLAS consists of 38 special intervention units, including units from non-EU Member States such as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and the United Kingdom.^[6][7] The non-EU Member States can participate and use of all facilities, but they do not have voting rights:^[8]

More information Country, Unit ...

Country	Unit	Part of	Notes
Austria	EKO Cobra[6][7] Einsatzkommando Cobra Task Force Cobra	Federal Ministry of the Interior
Belgium	DSU[6][7] Direction des unités spéciales Directorate of Special Units	Federal Police
Bulgaria	SOBT[6][7] Специализиран отряд за борба с тероризма Special Counter Terrorism Unit	Ministry of Interior
Croatia	ATJ Lučko[6][7] Antiteroristička jedinica Lučko Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit	Croatian Police
Cyprus	EAO[6][7] Mechanokiniti Monada Amesis Drasis Emergency Response Unit	Cyprus Police
Czech Republic	URNA[6][7] Útvar rychlého nasazení Rapid Response Unit	Police of the Czech Republic
Denmark	AKS[6][7] Politiets Aktionsstyrke Special Intervention Unit	Danish National Police
Estonia	K-Komando[6][7] Counter Terrorism Unit	Police and Border Guard Board
Finland	Karhu[6][7] Helsingin poliisilaitos Valmiusyksikkö Police Special Intervention Unit	Helsinki Police Department
France	GIGN[6][7] Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale National Gendarmerie Intervention Group	National Gendarmerie
France	RAID[6][7] Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion Research, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence	National Police
Germany	GSG 9[6][7] GSG 9 der Bundespolizei GSG 9 of the Federal Police	Federal Police	Formerly known as Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG 9; Border Protection Group 9) of the Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS; Federal Border Protection) from 1972 until 2005
Germany	SEK[6][7] Spezialeinsatzkommando Special Task Force	State Police	SEK Baden-Württemberg representing the SEKs of the various State Police forces
Greece	EKAM[6][7] Eidiki Katastaltiki Antitromokratiki Monada Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit	Hellenic Police
Hungary	TEK[6][7] Terrorelhárítási Központ Counter Terrorism Centre	Ministry of Interior
Iceland	Viking[6][7] Sérsveit ríkislögreglustjóra Special Unit of the National Police Commissioner	Icelandic Police	Non-EU participant
Ireland	ERU[6][7] Aonad Práinnfhreagartha Emergency Response Unit	Garda Síochána
Italy	GIS[6][7] Gruppo di Intervento Speciale Special Intervention Group	Carabinieri
Italy	NOCS[6][7] Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza Central Security Task Group	National Police
Latvia	OMEGA[6][7] Pretterorisma vienība Omega Counterterrorism Unit OMEGA	State Police
Lithuania	ARAS[6][7] Antiteroristinių Operacijų Rinktinė ARAS Anti-terrorist Operations Unit ARAS	Lithuanian Police Force
Luxembourg	USP[6][7] Unité Spéciale de la Police Police Special Unit	Grand Ducal Police
Malta	SIU[6][7] Special Intervention Unit	Malta Police Force
Netherlands	DSI[7] Dienst Speciale Interventies Special Intervention Service	National Police Corps
Norway	Delta[6][7] Politiet Beredskapstroppen Emergency Unit DELTA	Norwegian Police Service	Non-EU participant
Poland	BOA[6][7] Centralny Pododdział Kontrterrorystyczny Policji Central Counter-terrorism Police Subunit	Polish Police
Portugal	GIOE[6][7] Grupo de Intervenção de Operações Especiais Special Operations Intervention Group	National Republican Guard
Portugal	GOE[6][7] Grupo de Operações Especiais Special Operations Group	Public Security Police
Romania	BSIJ[6][7] Brigada Specială de Intervenție a Jandarmeriei Gendarmerie Special Intervention Brigade	Romanian Gendarmerie
Romania	SIAS[6][7] Serviciul de Intervenții și Acțiuni Speciale Special Actions and Intervention Service	Romanian Police
Slovakia	Lynx Commando[6][7] Útvar osobitného určenia Special Operations Unit - Lynx Commando	Ministry of the Interior
Slovenia	Red Panther[6][7] Specialna Enota Policije Special Police Unit	Slovenian National Police Force
Spain	UEI[6][7] Unidad Especial de Intervención Special Intervention Unit	Civil Guard
Spain	GEO[6][7] Grupo Especial de Operaciones Special Operations Group	National Police Corps
Sweden	NI[6][7] Nationella insatsstyrkan National Task Force	Swedish Police Authority
Switzerland	SWISS SIU[6][7] Swiss Special Intervention Units	Cantonal police	Non-EU participant
United Kingdom	SCO19[6][7] Specialist Firearms Command 19	Metropolitan Police	Non-EU participant
United Kingdom	HMSU[6][7][9] Headquarters Mobile Support Unit	Police Service of Northern Ireland	Non-EU participant

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• List of police tactical units
• Europol
• Club de Berne, the equivalent for intelligence services